Scandal of soldiers denied a pension

The families of long-serving Army officers have urged the Defence Secretary to reverse a decision that will cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds in lost pensions.

Relatives want the Government to review the military’s redundancy scheme after their loved ones were laid off months before becoming eligible for an immediate payment.

The Times can reveal that Philip Hammond had to write last week to the chairman of the Defence Select Committee after giving incorrect evidence on the matter.

He told MPs this summer that the amount of time an officer must serve to qualify for a pension had been cut by a year. This is true only for someone who had joined the military at 18. Most officers sign up in their 20s.